Public guardian takes over on Sept. 3

ARENAC COUNTY - It's not a huge change of scenery for new Arenac County Public Guardian, Robert Romps, who was hired Sept. 1 by the Arenac County Board of Commissioners and officially took over Sept. 3.

“He was the clerk in the office,” said Board Chairman Raymond Daniels, adding Romps handled guardian duties since Sherilyn Jones, the former public guardian, was suspended and eventually fired. “Since the other guardian was relieved of her duties, he's done a real good job in there. … He's already in there and familiar with what's going on.”

Meeting minutes say Romps, a resident of St. Helen, will receive an annual salary of $30,637 and change.

According to Daniels, Romps was one of seven candidates interviewed for the position and one of 56 applicants. Out of the 56 applicants, half of them were county residents.

He also says Romps' replacement as guardian clerk will have new responsibilities.

“Typically in the past, the public guardian was on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Daniels said. “You had no back up. … I would assume the clerk that replaces him will have extra duties.”

The guardian office clerk will be a member of the United Steelworkers Local, according to Sept. 1 minutes.